Cost trends
Which destinations are getting cheaper, and which are quietly getting dearer.
A twelve-month read on on-ground costs across the destinations we track month by month. Each figure is the change in daily backpacker spend — accommodation, food, local transport, activities and data — from October 2025 to September 2026. Flights, visas and insurance are excluded, so the numbers compare like with like.
Destinations tracked
37
with a full 12-month cost record
Becoming more affordable
13
down 1% or more on the year
Becoming more expensive
8
up 1% or more on the year
Median 12-month move
0%
16 of 37 moved less than 1% either way
The year's biggest moves
Cost shifts of this size rarely arrive evenly. A currency realignment, a change in the modelled cost base, or a run of strong demand can move a destination by twenty percent while its neighbours barely budge.
Becoming more affordable
By region
Regional averages hide a lot, but they show which parts of the world are drifting in the same direction.
| Region | Tracked | Average move | More affordable | More expensive | Biggest fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Asia | 3 | -14.7% | 2 | 0 | Taiwan -26.2% |
| South Asia | 3 | -9.3% | 2 | 0 | Nepal -18% |
| Oceania | 2 | -9% | 1 | 0 | Australia -18% |
| Africa / Middle East | 3 | -6% | 1 | 0 | Egypt -18% |
| Southeast Asia | 7 | -5.7% | 4 | 0 | Vietnam -10% |
| Latin America | 7 | +2.7% | 2 | 3 | Argentina -26.2% |
| Europe | 12 | +7.7% | 1 | 5 | Turkey -18% |
Every tracked destination
Ordered from the largest fall to the largest rise. The range column shows how far each destination's daily cost travelled within the year — a wide range means a volatile record rather than a steady drift.
| Destination | Region | 12-month move | Latest daily cost | 12-month range | Momentum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | East Asia | -26.2% | $60 | $60 – $82 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Argentina | Latin America | -26.2% | $50 | $50 – $67 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Australia | Oceania | -18% | $111 | $100 – $136 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Egypt | Africa / Middle East | -18% | $36 | $33 – $44 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Turkey | Europe | -18% | $54 | $49 – $66 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Japan | East Asia | -18% | $86 | $77 – $104 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Nepal | South Asia | -18% | $26 | $24 – $32 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | -10% | $28 | $28 – $38 | Tailwind (+16) |
| India | South Asia | -10% | $22 | $22 – $29 | Tailwind (+16) |
| Cambodia | Southeast Asia | -10% | $26 | $26 – $36 | Tailwind (+16) |
| Philippines | Southeast Asia | -10% | $34 | $34 – $46 | Tailwind (+16) |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | -10% | $33 | $33 – $44 | Tailwind (+16) |
| Mexico | Latin America | -10% | $47 | $47 – $64 | Tailwind (+16) |
| Georgia | Europe | 0% | $52 | $38 – $52 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Hungary | Europe | 0% | $82 | $61 – $82 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | 0% | $39 | $35 – $47 | Headwind (-28) |
| South Africa | Africa / Middle East | 0% | $69 | $51 – $69 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Italy | Europe | 0% | $120 | $88 – $120 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Romania | Europe | 0% | $63 | $46 – $63 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Morocco | Africa / Middle East | 0% | $52 | $38 – $52 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Ecuador | Latin America | 0% | $52 | $38 – $52 | Steady (0) |
| Laos | Southeast Asia | 0% | $28 | $25 – $34 | Strong tailwind (+32) |
| Guatemala | Latin America | 0% | $36 | $36 – $49 | Steady (0) |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | 0% | $34 | $30 – $41 | Strong headwind (-43) |
| New Zealand | Oceania | 0% | $103 | $92 – $125 | Strong tailwind (+32) |
| South Korea | East Asia | 0% | $94 | $69 – $94 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Poland | Europe | 0% | $79 | $58 – $79 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | 0% | $26 | $26 – $36 | Steady (0) |
| Czech Republic | Europe | 0% | $86 | $63 – $86 | Strong tailwind (+43) |
| Colombia | Latin America | +11.1% | $41 | $37 – $50 | Headwind (-14) |
| Portugal | Europe | +22% | $100 | $74 – $100 | Headwind (-26) |
| Greece | Europe | +22% | $102 | $75 – $102 | Headwind (-26) |
| Bolivia | Latin America | +22% | $41 | $31 – $41 | Headwind (-26) |
| Bulgaria | Europe | +22% | $61 | $45 – $61 | Headwind (-26) |
| Spain | Europe | +22% | $110 | $81 – $110 | Headwind (-26) |
| Albania | Europe | +22% | $63 | $46 – $63 | Headwind (-26) |
| Peru | Latin America | +22% | $52 | $39 – $52 | Headwind (-26) |
How to read this
These figures are modelled from our country cost database and refreshed monthly, not quoted from live prices on the ground. They are directional: a destination showing a sustained fall is genuinely becoming better value, but the exact percentage should be treated as a guide rather than a receipt. Momentum, shown in the final column, measures whether the most recent inputs point the same way as the twelve-month trend.
Only destinations with a complete run of monthly snapshots appear here, which is why the tracked set is narrower than the full country list. Coverage widens as the record lengthens, so a destination missing today may be included within a few months. Country pages carry the current cost for every destination we cover.
For what this means for a specific budget, the $1,000 Index converts cost into days, and Travel Markets shows the live signals behind each destination.